Lesperssi Highlights TNI Involvement in Robber-Hunting

Lesperssi highlights the involvement of active-duty TNI troops in a robber-hunting operation conducted jointly with Metro Jakarta Police personnel in Jakarta and its surrounding areas. Lesperssi researcher Beni Sukadis said that as a state defence instrument, the TNI should exercise restraint and not become overly involved in civilian affairs, including robber-hunting. ‘Over-frequent involvement of the TNI outside its primary duties risks lowering soldiers’ professionalism,’ he told Tempo on Saturday, 23 May 2026.

According to Beni, in Law Number 3 of 2025 on the TNI, Article 7(2)(b) number 10 grants the TNI authority to undertake military operations other than war (OMSP) by assisting the police. The issue, he said, is that the mechanism governing such assistance is not tightly regulated regarding how the TNI should be involved and for how long the assistance can continue. ‘Moreover, in robber-hunting operations, it seems the police can handle it themselves,’ he said.

However, Beni added, Article 7(1) of the TNI Law explicitly regulates the TNI’s core duties, namely to defend the sovereignty of the state and to protect the nation and its people from threats and disturbances. Therefore, rather than becoming heavily involved in civilian matters, the TNI as a state defence instrument can focus on strengthening defence by focusing on its duties. ‘Normatively, the TNI should focus on training and readiness to face external threats that could suddenly appear,’ he said.

Head of Public Information of the Jakarta Raya Military Regional Command (Kodam Jaya) Lt. Col. Noor Iskak, an officer of the Air Defence Artillery (Arh), previously said his institution had carried out robber-hunting operations with personnel from the Metro Jaya Police in Jakarta and its surrounding areas. ‘The units we involved were the territorial units Koramil and the combat battalion units of Kodim,’ Iskak said at the Metro Jaya Police Headquarters, Friday, 22 May 2026.

He added that the TNI’s involvement in this operation is part of security support from the Begal Hunters Team formed by the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation (Reserse Kriminal Umum) of the Metro Jaya Police. Because security conditions in the area are not only the responsibility of the police, but also a responsibility of soldiers.

‘The presence of state apparatus in the community is expected to provide a sense of security and as a manifestation of the state’s presence in protecting the people,’ Iskak said.

Pilihan Editor: Tentara Jadi Petani. Mengapa Tak Belajar dari Orde Baru